I went to a gentleman’s funeral today. Most of the packed service was filled with people I had not seen since 1981. I was glad that some crew mates from our round Britain shakedown of HMCC Searcher, and many others were there and it was poignant to see Ron’s coffin draped in an ensign from the days the fleet used to belong to H M Customs & Excise.

Such was the regard with which he was held so high that people had travelled far and wide to see him off and what a beautiful calm day it was too.

I had emptied my car of all my Edgelands shooting gear but such was the sky as I drove towards Felixstowe, I thought ‘This is a sky in a million I ought to have brought the cameras and film’, but it was Ron’s day. I always felt a calmness around him and the sea state off Felixstowe today was like a millpond. What else can be said?